WCAS Member Meeting & Speaker Series: Virginia Opossum–The Natural and Cultural History

Program: The Totally Awesome Virginia Opossum–The Natural and Cultural History of our Only Native Marsupial
Presenter: Harvey Webster, Board Member of Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland and retired Wildlife Officer & Museum Ambassador from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Date & Time: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Fairview Park Library, 21255 Lorain Rd, Fairview Park, Ohio
Can't make it in person? Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89306430100?pwd=oOsXkPajqDc6usjcreo9UYEZ2u8RRS.1
Meeting ID: 893 0643 0100 and Passcode: 826424

Description: This program is a celebration of that often maligned and misunderstood but totally awesome opossum. Besides being a homage to this curious creature that hails from an ancient line of mammals, the program is an exploration of their evolution and natural history. Further we will explore the cultural history of opossums. They have served as cartoon characters, mascots, presidential pets, and have a dark connection to Jim Crow. They have long been served at ‘possum’ dinners in the south and have their own recipe in the Joy of Cooking. There is even a monument to Opossums! All in all, a remarkable creature that deserves some respect and this program aims to give the opossum its due.

Photo: Virginia Opossum by Cody Pope, Creative Commons license, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Opossum_2.jpg

You may also like the following events from Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society:

• Next Saturday, 27th September, 08:00 am, Tremont Towpath Urban Bird Walk in Cleveland
• Next month, 11th October, 09:00 am, Second Saturday Bird Walk in North Olmsted
• Next month, 18th October, 09:00 am, Bird Walk: Celebrating Sparrow Migration in Cleveland

Also check out other Meetups in Fairview Park.